Whether you're simply trying to ward off erosion or you're getting some old car parts ready to sell, getting rid of that dreaded rust can stop these parts from becoming damaged beyond repair.
But if this isn't something you’ve done before, it can be tricky to know where to start.
You might have heard a few wives tales over the years for rust removal but the good news is there are several genuine techniques you can use to remove rust from car parts. The method you use will often depend on a number of aspects including:
• The part you're cleaning
• How bad the build-up is
• What materials you have
• How much time you have
So if you’ve got parts car that are in need of a clean, read on for more advice on the best method for you.
Before you get started
It’s worth noting that the best results will come from taking your time and care with the rust removal. As such, it’s a good idea to make sure you’ve got all the tools and materials you need and to set some dedicated time aside to work on this.
It’s also important that you consider your safety when using the different chemicals and products, so make sure you’ve got protective wear nearby as well. We’re now going to look at the different methods you can use, so you can decide which is going to be best for you.
Use steel wool
Steel wool can be a great tool for removing rust but just be sure you choose a good quality wool as some are thicker than others and some are plastic made to look like steel.
Once you've got this, wearing gloves to protect your skin, add a drop of water and slowly scrub the affected area.
Be aware that dust might accumulate as you're doing this so it’s advised that you choose a well-ventilated space.
Try sandpaper
Sandpaper is another great way to get rid of rust and you can buy this in different levels of coarseness depending on how bad the rust is. Plus, this comes in many different forms. You can get:
• Wet/dry paper
• Sanding machines
• Sanding sponges
• Sanding blocks
• Sanding detailers
As such, be sure to choose the sandpaper tool and coarseness that is going to be best for your parts. The great thing about sandpaper is you can fold it to get into smaller gaps making this more versatile.
Again, you should choose somewhere well-ventilated to avoid dust build-up and if you're using a power sanding tool, googles might also be necessary to protect your eyes from debris.
Soak your car parts in vinegar
Now let’s get a bit more scientific and start looking at some of the chemical (and subsequent reactions) you can use to clean rusty car parts.
Because of the acidic nature of vinegar, it can be a really useful way to clean rust off metal.
You should soak the car part in vinegar for about 24 hours. Alternatively, you can wet the part by spraying rather than submerging it in vinegar, although it must stay wet.
After the 24 hours is up you should be able to remove the rust with an old toothbrush or cleaning device that you don't mind getting dirty.
If it doesn't all come off the first time around, you can always treat your parts with vinegar again. This method is preferable for the really rusty parts and those you don't have all day to spend scrubbing.
Note: adding salt to your vinegar mix can help to speed up the process if you're short on time.
Use lemon juice and baking powder
For parts that aren't too rusty, you can use lemon juice and baking powder.
This is a cheap way to remove rust and you might find you already have these items at home.
To do this, create a paste (like the consistency of toothpaste) with the lemon juice and powder. Then apply this to the part - making sure the part is not too wet or the paste won’t stick.
Leave this for around 30 minutes to work it’s magic and then you can begin to scrub the rust off much like you did with the vinegar solution.
Consider citric acid
Citric acid is natural (it’s found in fruits like lemons, in fact) and you can buy it to use for cooking and various other things. But it is also a useful way to remove rust.
Just don’t expect fast results unless there is only a small amount of rust!
If you're going to use this method, you’ll need to put some water in a container and add a few tablespoons of the acid. The more you use, the quicker the process will be.
With parts that are only slightly rusty, you could probably remove them in a few hours. But if you’ve got car parts that are quite heavily rusted, you might want to leave them for one to three days to ensure the rust is fully removed.
Once you’ve got the parts out of the container you can scrub off any residual rust or sludge and rinse them in clean water.
Try a pumice stone
Pumice stones aren't just great for your feet you know! They can also help you remove rust. That said, the pumice might not last as long as other materials, so might be better for removing smaller patches of rust rather than cleaning whole parts.
Much like sandpaper, you can add a drop of water and use the pumice to scrub at the rust. Just be aware that bits of dust and pumice stone may break off so you might want to do this outside or somewhere with ventilation.
The light weight of the pumice makes this easy to use and scrub, plus they are relatively cheap to buy.
Make a chemical bath
Lastly, you could use a chemical bath to remove the rust, though this will require you to wear protective gear such as gloves and can be more dangerous if you have children or animals around.
If you do choose this approach, there are plenty of chemicals and brands out there that you can choose from. Often labelled as rust remover.
Add these to a container of water using the quantity specified on the packet. And be sure to put the container somewhere it won’t get knocked over.
You can put a lid on to stop the liquid from evaporating and then submerge your car parts.
This can take around 10 hours to work fully but is often the best approach if you don't want to put in any real time scrubbing the rust off yourself.